MOVIES ABOUT BIKES – AT THE VISTA THEATER, HOLLYWOOD from FUNWUNCE on Vimeo.

The Vista Theater in Los Feliz sponsors the appropriately named “Movies About Bikes” night this Friday and Saturday starting at Midnight. If you like Midnight Ridazz and movies, this is the event for you.

Watch the preview, and if you’re interested in seeing some locally made films about the local bike scene you can either pedal over to the Vista late Friday or Saturday or buy tickets online here.

They’ll be showing the same short films each night, but I’m told there’s going to be a great after party Saturday morning after the first showing.

For years, L.A. Streetsblog referred to the All City Toy Ride as the best bike event in the country that very few people outside of L.A. have heard of. This year, we’re going to do our part to change all that. We’ve recruited film maker Rob Adams, the same film maker who made our two CicLAvia Streetfilms and “You’re Never Too Old…,” to make a film on the 6th installment of the All City Toy Ride.

However, since there are (at least) twelve starting points to the ride, we’re going to need some help. We’re looking for volunteers to shoot either a little video or digital photos at the various start points to send to Adams to help us make the best, most comprehensive, video that we can.  If we use any of your work we’ll send you a Streetsblog tote bag and include your name in the credits of the film.

If you’re interested in helping us out, email me, damien at streetsblog dot org, and let me know where you’ll be starting the ride and I’ll get you the information on how to send us your work.

For those of you that don’t know what the All City Toy Ride is.  All City sees riders from at least a dozen start points around the city descend on Downtown Los Angeles with toys to benefit the  Alliance for Children’s Rights.  For more information, visit Midnight Ridazz.  If you can’t make it on Friday but want to help, bring a toy to our fundraiser and we’ll see it gets donated.

Goodbye old friend...you'll be well loved by Occupy L.A. Yes, that's the same bike we used to teach Bill Rosendahl the basics of bike safety.

“They poison our air, water, land, bodies, mind and dreams,” reads the sign held by a member of Occupy L.A. as thousands of bicycles shoot past. Many of the riders ring their bell, pump a fist, or stop to engage the protester as he stands in the streets and sidewalk in front of City Hall during last Sunday’s CicLAvia.

Across the street, the iconic Roadblock is hanging out at the Bikeside Speaks stage chatting with many of the bike advocates who are stopping by to listen to the speakers, chat with friends or wish Stephen and Enci Box well on their upcoming adventure.

“Natural fit, a natural fit,” Roadblock says of the convergence of CicLAvia, the largest car-free party in North America, and the Occupy movement. Roadblock has been involved with the local cycling movement as the face of Midnight Ridazz and has been a fixture at City Hall as part of the Occupy Movement.

Roadblock is combining his connections in the bike community with the needs of Occupy L.A. In a couple of years when the City of Los Angeles or Metro triumphantly announce that they’re bringing L.A. its “first bike share,” remember that Occupy L.A. had one first. Last night, I dropped in on Occupy L.A. with a pair of beach cruisers that have been collecting dust in our bike storage area the last couple of years.

While Roadblock was busy at a meeting last night, he directed me to “the big yellow tent” that serves as the Bike District for Occupy L.A. There, a group of twenty-somethings were wrenching on a bike. The group, which included a Bicycle Kitchen Cook, has been repairing and maintaining bikes for free to any Occupier that asked for help. To identify the bikes that will be part of the Occupy L.A. Bike Share, the team is painting the donated bikes gold.

It’s not a surprise that Los Angeles’ bike advocates and Occupy L.A. mesh so well together. For years the Boxs, Alex Thompson and the rest of the Bike Writers Collective (a sort of pre-Bikeside) organized “Storm the Bastille” rides to public hearings casting cyclists as the scrappy underdogs taking on the machine. Outside of political activism, locally organized bike rides have benefited everything from AIDS and Cancer research to homeless shelters to advocacy websites.

Towards the end of CicLAvia, I chatted with the occupier who was waiving the poison sign about his day. “A great day,” he smiled at me.  It’s no surprise, bikes and social movements have a long history together.

If you have a bike you want to donate to Occupy L.A.’s bike share, contact roadblock@midnightridazz.com.

Ever since Christine Dahab crashed in to a group of bike riders last month, the story of the crash and people’s reaction to it has been a hot topic here at Streetsblog and around the city.  But in addition to the protests, press conferences and organizing that’s been done by bike community’s activists, there’s been a lot of activity on another level: trying to take care of the riders that were wounded in the crash.

This weekend, both Friday and Saturday, Manny’s Car Wash on 4635 E. Valley Blvd., in East L.A. is hosting a fundraiser from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. for riders injured in a crash in Culver City during a ride that started in Koreatown.  Regardless of what one thinks about the Midnight Ridazz, this is a pretty strong statement of city-wide unity from the bicycling community.  All proceeds from the wash will go to victims of the crash.

Ridazz have been handing out flyers advertising the car wash at rides and other bike events throughout the city.  I’ve been flyered twice, one at Critical Mass and again last week at the cyclist press conference at City Hall.  And yes, they will wash bicycles too.  The cost is $5 for bikes, $8 for cars, and $12 for SUV’s.

If you know of any other upcoming fundraisers to benefit the crash victims, please let me know at damien@streetsblog.org.  For more information on this event, visit their Facebook Page.

Ridazz Down. Photo: Magnus Sheen Nihilus/Facebook

Last night, at the end of the “KoreatownWednesdays” Midnight Ridazz ride, a couple of dozen Ridazz were standing at the bottom of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook waiting for the rest of the ridazz to make it down the hill.  The ride begins every week in Koreatown and heads to the overlook.  There the group parks their bikes, ascends the hill and takes in the view.  I’ve never done the ride, but I’m told it’s a pretty low-key ride, runs at a fast clip, and is very peaceful at the end.

Unfortunately, for the group of Ridazz at the bottom of the hill, it was not a peaceful night.  Rider AIDS66 writes on Midnight Ridazz:

We were waiting for everyone to make their way down from Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook as this shit happened. I saw a car speeding towards us and thought doesn’t the driver see us, NO…. Drunk bitch took out the whole ride. some of us got out of the way just in time but many took the brunt force of the hit.

CBS 2 has the most in-depth media report on the incident, and notes that there were nine victims of the crash, three of whom were hospitalized.  The driver was taken into police custody under suspicion of DUI.  No word yet on the results of her alcohol level or what she is being charged with.  Some Ridazz said they saw her talking on her phone, but that hasn’t been reported in the media.  The media is near-unanimous in its reporting that the woman was driving sixty miles per hour during the collisions.

While our thoughts and prayers go out to the injured cyclists and those scarred by witnessing the crash, I can’t help but notice the soft bias in the media against some of the cyclists in the reports.  The worst example is from KABC.

After noting that the police were critical of the cyclists for wearing dark-colored clothing and standing in the street, the broadcaster also notes that, “…there was beer bottles and condoms where the cyclists were hanging out.”  Unless the reporter, or the reporting officer, is implying the cyclists were having a drunken orgy in the street that shielded them from view, I’m not sure how either of those facts are relevant.  First off, one Koreatown Rider reports they were standing in the shoulder, so even if they shouldn’t have been in the street, the driver shouldn’t have been in the shoulder (an earlier version of this story said “bike lane” instead of “shoulder.”)  Second, who cares if they were drinking (they probably were) or using condoms (they probably weren’t).  Unless the police/KABC believe a victim was so drunk they jumped in front of the car the drinking is immaterial.

Compare that to the CBS report:

Here the reporter focuses on the driver’s actions talking to witnesses, humanizing the victims and noting that the driver was drinking red bull, smoking and was doubtless distracted (at-best).

We’ll continue to update this report as more details are released.  If you want to help make certain that the driver is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, one poster at Midnight Ridazz drafted a letter to the District Attorney’s Office.  You can email the D.A. through this link.

This morning I am greatly upset and angered by the news of a driver who injured 11 cyclists with her car. I am writing to make it known that the driver who drover her car into a group of cyclists in the Baldwin Village area in the early morning of Thursday, June 16, 2011, must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the laws. For committing such a heinous act as she has, which is both irresponsible and reckless in nature, this driver can be shown no mercy for her careless actions behind the wheel of a weapon. Justice is the least of what the victims of this incident are due. It is my sincerest, deepest hope that this woman is fully stripped of her driving privileges for a number of years.

Bearing the effects of her actions, intentional or not, the sentence should reflect fully the damage she has caused to so many lives–not just those who have been injured, but to those who bore witness, as well as the entire community of Baldwin Village, Los Angeles, and vulnerable street users such as cyclists and pedestrians, as well as all road users. I understand that it is early and the full details of the incident have yet to fully be revealed, yet the greater cause and effect are apparent and warrant a severe sentence, that at any level, would only begin to serve as due penance for a crime of this nature. This driver has most clearly abused her privilege to operate a motor vehicle, and in doing so has robbed people of their livelihood and, in many ways, their futures. It is simply a miracle that no one was killed, but when actions such as the drivers are capable of causing death, such as hers have been, they should be viewed as hugely life-threatening and be punished for the damage caused as well as the damage that was fully possible.

(Update: Sgt. David Krumer reports that the Culver City Police will handle the investigation, as the crash occurred just inside their limits. If you have any information, contact Culver City Police, Traffic Bureau: (310)253-6200)

Aktive takes the Mayor for a spin at CicLAvia. Photo: Midnight Ridazz.com

I can’t remember the first time I met Aktive, but it seems that every time I’m in the Northeast L.A. “Bike District” I run into him.  Going to an event at the Bike Oven?  There’s Aktive.  Getting the baby bike together at Flying Pigeon?  There’s Aktive.  June fundraiser?  Aktive.

In a lot of ways, the story of Jesse Ramon is emblematic of what’s been going on with the bicycle community these last several years.  Ramon went from non-rider to M.O.M. Rider, to ride leader in a short span.  Now, the constantly optimistic rider is part of the group that’s been trying to work with the LAPD to make Critical Mass and other group rides as safe as they should be.

That being said, I still find it hard to imagine a rider wearing a vest with a giant marijuana leaf patch sewed into the back having the respect of the LAPD team policing Critical Mass.  But if you’re at the front of the ride, and Aktive isn’t sidelined with a bug as he was last month, you’ll see that the bike cops respect him almost as much as his fellow riders do.

Over the last couple weeks I had a chance to chat with Ramon/Aktive over email.  Our conversation is below.

Name: My name is Jesse Ramon
Online Name: I am known as Aktive not only online, but everywhere.
Where Do You Live?: I live in Northeast Los Angeles, Cypress Park

Advocacy history: I dont know what kind of history you were referring to, but I am not sure I ever wanted to become a ride leader. I recently reached my one year mark of bicycle riding,.  I think of myself as a newbie, but others beg to differ.  I’m known to be a natural born leader with a gift of communication. I can get my point across in large crowds or one on one, which probably lead to me just jumping into some sort of leadership role as you call it.  Over the last year, people have come up to me to help organize rides and before you knew it I was leading rides, from MOM RIDAZ to some FMLY rides to even LACM rides.  So I guess it just honestly happened without planning! I guess it was natural occurrence. ..something that had to happen…
You mentioned you’ve only been riding for a year.  What made you start?  You’re such a regular on MR message boards and CM discussion, I just assumed you’d been around the block.

Yes, I’ve been riding maybe 14 months now.

What made me start is a long story. About 1 year before I started riding, I bought a cheap ass magna from my uncle.  Shortly after I got it, I had surgery and was basically bed ridden about 3 weeks. With recovery and life happening I totally forgot about the bike…lost the passion one might say.

At the time my pops was working as building maintenance guy and noticed an awesome hybrid bike tied to the banister, after 4 weeks no one touched the bike and he was ordered to cut the chain and get rid of it.  So being the beaners we are, he brought it home.

Automatically I liked it. 21 speeds. disc brakes, front shocks. san marcos saddle. 29inch tires.  I was flying on that.  In the beginning, I thought it was amazing to travel from Highland Park to the fountain at Los Feliz.  As a newbie, that was a mission of its own.  Now I find myself riding out to Orange County or Riverside County from Highland Park.

The rest is living history.

Now that you’re a veteran rider, what are your impressions of the group ride scene, both in NELA and throughout the city?

Veteran rider?  Me? Ha Ha…sounds weird.

My impression of group ride scenes is very confusing.  There are times when I  live for the group riding scene.  Whether being MOM RIDAZ or LACM or FMLY or GLOW, they are all fun in their own right.   The social aspect of it. The solidarity amongst ridaz, especially when gear support is requested. The way we look out for each other. Or, just exploring your city with a new group of potential friends.  It’s exciting. Now i find myself organizing MOM/ NELA MOM Ridez, FMLY EASTSIDE rides, and helping steer LACM in a positive direction.  So, I still have the passion for the group rides

But there are a few exceptions out there.  I cannot stand destructive disrespectful rides. Where trash is left all over the route/stops. Rides that don’t do a thing with stealing and vandalism.  There are even rides I’ve seen that lead you into the most dangerous of situations whether be it a bad area to be in or just simply messing with the wrong person.  Granted it may not be the ride itself, just a bunch of knuckleheads out to ruin everyone’s night by just fucking up.

That isn’t cool.  When shit like that happens, I tend to drop rides.  If nothing catches my attention on the calendars on numerous sites, I tend to pick up the phone and roll with a small group of ridaz and just ride the night or day away.

NELA is an area rich in culture from all over.  Yet, the biking scene here is very minimal with the exception of the monthly Smoke N’ Art ride.. lol.  I mean Spoke n Art Ride.  The Bike Oven sits right in the middle, and I see the biking scene here slowly but surely growing; which is why I have started the NELA MOM RIDAZ chapter.   Trying to grow here and get this corner of our city bumping with aktivity and life… subsequently helping build the NELA bicycle infrastructure for all of us to enjoy!

This is the same thing happening in all corners of our county. Bikerowave, Bike Kitchen, the Hub and the others popping up irregularly. One day, I see the whole LA scene changing from cars to bikes, just watch!.. We can do it.  Smoke enough hash, and imagine it.  If we all work together, ALL IS POSSIBLE.

Midnight Ridazz profile picture

So how did you get involved as a “ride leader” for Critical Mass?  It’s sort of an odd match to see a guy with a MOM Ridazz vest standing on the “stage” at Wilshire/Western with Sgt. Krumer.

To be honest, it just happened.  I have been helping keep things in order and what not during LACM, and I am just guessing, but my assertiveness and the manner in which I deal with the public may have lead to that.

Because I really don’t know how I became part of leadership for LACM.   I was already getting ready to end my attendance at LACM due to all the chaos that had been happening.  I wasn’t there for the infamous LACM where the video showed LAPD officer kicking that cyclist of his bike, but shortly after that I started hearing rumors that LAPD would be at the following LACM, so my interest was reignited.

I showed up, and somehow, someway, I was asked to take the lead.  The next month, I showed up right at take off time and Alex Thompson shouts at me, ” Yo, aktive, get upfront and lead it again!”  I had actually just met Thompson the previous month when LAPD showed up for the first month to accompany us.

Thompson introduced himself to me and I did the same he complimented the “rapport I have with the cyclist” and “how they really listen to my directions.”  He also informed me of the meetings they had been having with LAPD and what not, told me some new rules I should familiarize myself with like “no more circles of death.”

Before you knew it, month after month, I have been asked either by other leaders or LAPD to just hop in the front and work with the officers like I have been.

And o.m.g.. you are so right about how odd it is to see my MOM RIDAZ PATCH with the big pot leaf in the middle of a briefing of LAPD contingency.

It trips me out, and I love how so many now have convinced themselves that I’m a narc or a cop.. SO NOT TRUE.

At CicLAvia, how did you get the Mayor in the pedicab?

CicLAvia.. that was funny.  Everyone who knows me knows how I really dislike mayor Villababozo.  But when there is a photo-op to take advantage of, I’m there.  LOL

I simply pulled up to him in the peddicab and yelled, “Mayor, hop in! PHOTO-OP!  And once that lime light hog heard “photo-op,” he didn’t’ hesitate to jump in for a ride and a chance to be photographed in the cab…

Subsequently people told me that he was enjoying himself until he noticed the huge marijuana leaf in front of him

Ja ha ha.  All of a sudden his expression changed to an “oh shit!” and jumped off. It was quick, but the memories, and photographs will never be lost..’

Our last question is always the same.  If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about transportation in Los Angeles, what would it be?

First off it would be nice for all public transportation services to accommodate bicycles. In Germany the light rail system has a sort of a corral in the front or rear of the train for cyclists to place their bikes in a manner that passengers aren’t bothered by bikes nor does it pose a safety issue.

If not that, I’d love to see a state of the art bicycle infrastructure in L.A. County. One where cyclists are away from speeding drivers, Where we have some sort of buffer zone free of hazards such as vehicles pulling out of parking spaces or car doors swinging open to unsuspecting Ridaz. An infrastructure where we’d have a sort of bike way unaffected by intersection or traffic lights and Ridaz could freely ride and not lose momentum or tire out as much due to unnecessary stopping. Sort of a bicycle freeway. Regularly maintained and free of potholes and oil spots usually caused by vehicles and the weight associated with cars n trucks. Also associated with vehicles is debris left behind after accidents such as broken glass and metal or plastic objects that can cause accidents or equipment malfunction.

Hubs where Ridaz can safely lock up their bikes if they needed. And just like the freeways have service patrol tow trucks, we could have a service were technicians can assist stranded cyclists with minor repairs such as flats, snapped brake cables, broken chains …things of the such. The possibilities are endless for a bicycle  infrastructure …but first we must adopt a workable and practical bike plan without cutting corners at the expense of Ridaz safety.

It's a sign of how far cycling has come in City Hall in a short time.  Could you have pictured a Mayoral press conference where LADOT General Manager Rita Robinson and LAPD Leadership are literally standing in Roadblock's shadow just a couple of months ago?  Photo: LADOT Bike Blog

At least eleven states have laws requiring drivers to leave three feet between their vehicle and cyclists while passing. If the Mayor of Los Angeles has anything to say about it, California will join those states before the year ends.

At a Tuesday press conference, Villaraigosa, flanked by leaders of the LADOT, LAPD, Los Angeles Councy Bicycle Coalition, and Midnight Ridazz, stated his support and promised his advocacy for a state law requiring drivers to give those three feet. The purpose of the press conference was to announce the winner of a slogan contest for posters designed by Geoff McFetridge that will be going up on bus shelters throughout the city. The "Give me 3" slogan was created by Danny Gamboa and beat out over 200 other entries.  You can see the fruits of McFetridge and Gamboa's efforts above.

Momentum for a "3 Feet Passing Law" for California has been growing in Los Angeles since the start of the year. Council Member Bill Rosendahl floated the idea that the City could create its own passing law while he pushed for an "anti-harassment ordinance" for cyclists. While the City Attorney has opined that the city can't pass such a law on its own, Rosendahl renewed his call for a "3 Feet Passing Law" at last week's Bike Summit.  For Villaraigosa's part, he has vowed to push forward with this proposed legislation no matter what.  “We’ll keep at it until it becomes part of the California Vehicle Code,” he promised at the press conference.

The other "3 Feet" slogan.

We have spoken to state patrol officials in several of the 11 states that have passed the three-feet law. Those officials emphasize that the law is used more as an education tool to provide safe practices than as an enforcement tool to punish law breakers. It gives officers, government officials, and civic groups the opportunity to inform drivers what a safe minimum distance is by use of a common measure (3 feet or one yard) that can be easily remembered.

Of course, even if the police aren't measuring the passing distance between cars and bikes when no collision occurs, the law could give cyclists a new legal leg to stand on when forced off their bikes by passing cars even when there's no actual collision.

While cyclists are waiting for a legislator to emerge to champion a "3 Feet Passing Law" in Sacramento; Los Angeles is moving forward with a public information campaign to educate drivers in how to safely share the road with cyclists.  Posters are going up soon and the Mayor is also recording Public Service Announcements, in English and Spanish, for radio, Internet and television.  While the posters are guaranteed placement due to an agreement with the company who owns the shelters, other placements are unpredictable.  Oftentimes, the first time I see an LADOT P.S.A. is when it's announced that they have won another Emmy.

However, activists have high hopes for the campaign and for the future of cycling advocacy under the city's newly minted bike-activist Mayor.  Jennifer Klausner, Executive Director of the LACBC said, "This Bike Awareness and Safety poster symbolizes the start of a commitment to creating safer streets for cyclists. It is just the first of many more initiatives we hope to see come to fruition to ensure that cyclists are safe and feel welcome on our city streets." 

Over 500 slogans have been submitted to the Bike Safety Slogan
Contest being organized by the un-likely (some would say un-holy)
coalition of the LAPD, the LACBC, MidnightRidazz.com, and the LADOT.
These groups have been working with the City of Los Angeles to procure
ad spaces in bus shelters and Public Amenity Kiosks (PAK.) The goal
being to raise awareness among road users about issues such as rights,
rules, safety, and road courtesy in relation to bicycles. The final
slogan will be designed and illustrated by the world renowned artist Geoff McFetridge.

A
top ten list of slogans has been procured from the entries and now the
coalition is looking for more input from the public before the final
slogan is chosen for production.

You are invited to comment, pick apart, improve upon and otherwise
discuss the slogan. The goal is to get a broad consensus and an
effective campaign. You may comment here, on Facebook or on MidnightRidazz.com

Drum roll…. the slogans please:

1. Share the lane. We’re in it together.
2. Don’t be pass aggressive
3. Caution: Your Neighbor Ahead
4. Our lives are in your hands. Pass at a safe distance.
5. 2 wheels 4 wheels 1 road 4 everyone
6. ¡WE EXIST!
7. GIVE ME THREE
8. Look twice. Drive nice.
9. Big Or Small / The Road’s For All
10. These lanes belong to both you and me!
    
    

The announcement of the contest and partnership revealed a familiar division in the bicycling advocacy community.  On one hand, you have those that believe partnership is one way to build relationships of trust and do some good in the meantime.  Then there's the group that believes that going along with the government (LAPD, LADOT, whoever) on small projects relieves the pressure for the major policy changes that the city desperately needs.  It's an interesting debate, and one that flares up every now and again.  Prediction: we'll see it again in the lead-up to "Bike to Work" Week in mid-May.

People seemed especially surprised to see the Midnight Ridazz's skull appear on the contest announcement.  Roadblock, who holds the copyright on the term "Midnight Ridazz," spoke with me about why the Ridazz name is attached to this project:

We saw this as a win-win.  On one hand, Midnight Ridazz produces a lot of good feelings for riders, especially people taking the group rides.  But it does have a bad name in some circles, a sour reputation.  So, OK.  Here's Midnight Ridazz doing something good and continuing the tradition of supporting the LAPD.

In my personal experience, I found that cooperation on areas of mutual interest is a great way to build a collaboration that can lead to bigger and better things.  However, the NJDOT and NOAA Fisheries, the targets of most of my career as an activist, and LAPD are very different beasts.  But let's look at the LAPD's recent record on reform:

On one hand the LAPD wants to work on this contest and poster campaign and the city attorney is pushing ahead with prosecution in the "Ed Magos v Porsche" crash. On the other we still don't have a copy of the report on last May's "hit and run through" crash downtown involving Andres Tena, a hummer, and Officer Stephen Cho and the department is unwilling to reform its policy when it comes to recording handcuffing incidents when it comes to non-violent confrontations with cyclists.  A mixed record.

Regardless of what one thinks of the politics of this contest and campaign, the reality is it's happening which means there's an opportunity to get some smart and positive messages out to the motoring public about the rights and privileges cyclists enjoy as equal users of our roads.  I'm thinking that the combined creativity of activists, Ridazz and Streetsbloggers ought to come up with something pretty good.

(editor's note: This interview was recorded last Friday afternoon, hours before anyone was shot.  If we had talked afterward, you can bet that would have come up in our conversation.)

It's Friday, and that means throughout Los Angeles, cyclists are gearing up in some way or another for the weekend. Since February of 2004, when the Midnight Ridazz rode for the first time, a part of those weekends has included some sort of large, open group bicycle ride somewhere in the city. Or, as has become the case these days, several large group bicycle rides.

Recently, I had the chance to sit down with three "Originalzz." Since we decided to refer to them by their Ridazz handles, meet Ma Bell, Kelly Green and MuffMaster Flash. For the record, I'm only typing out the word "MuffMaster" one more time, so enjoy it.

I've wanted to do this interview since I got out here, because whether the Ridazz themselves realize it or not, Midnight Ridazz is a phenomenon. Back when I was sitting at a desk in New York writing testimonies about widening the New Jersey Turnpike, I knew about the Midnight Ridazz. It's a legend that's constantly growing.

Cruising through the pictures section of the current Midnight Ridazz website, a couple of things occurred to me. The shot of the first ride is a great example about how the actions of a few people can snowball and change the world. Of course, it also occurred to me that I had sat down with the only three Ridazz in the world who are somewhat camera shy.

For the first time, I had to cut some of the interview off. Our threesome talked for an hour and a half, setting a record for an interview, and they constantly mentioned the contributions of others to help the Ridazz roll off into the night and repeatedly gave me names of other people I should be talking to. Particularly, Kim Jensen, aka Skull, was a name that came up as often as the three names of Roadblock combined. As soon as we have Skype set up, we'll do something with her too.

In the meantime, you can read the abridged interview after the jump.

Kelly Green: I guess the precursor was the Critical Mass bike rides, but they never really caught on like they did in San Francisco. We were excited if we got forty of fifty people.

What started happening was a couple of bike focusing groups got started. People were going and hanging out at places like the Bicycle Kitchen or people would do their own rides after Critical Mass. For example,Joshua Moody would organize a "my favorite taco trucks" ride.

And that's how I ended up doing social rides. I was doing Critical Mass, but was looking for something else then I found a bunch of crazy, enthusiastic and bicycle riders and joined the Bicycle Kitchen.

Ma Bell: I moved here from Boston in 2003, and I didn't really have an experience with L.A. Bike Scene prior to that. My bike background was that I had briefly been a bike messenger in Boston.

So I was riding my bike around L.A. and a woman at Skylight Books, I think her name was Andrea saw me, saw my bikes, so my license plate and said, "hey, you must be a messenger. You should check out a place called the Bicycle Kitchen at the Eco-Village." That's how I got into the bike scene.

I knew about Critical Mass, but I could never get there on time from work

MM F- I discovered the bike scene when I did my first Midnight Ridazz. I had been a roadie back in Texas, and had been doing some riding in L.A.; but for the most part had put my bike away after moving here. Basically, I got here and said, 'Fuck this place, this is not rideable." But I had a mountain bike I had decorated for Burning Man. I heard about Midnight Ridazz from an old schoolmate - she and Kim Chi and I went to Art Center together. I came and brought this burner bike on the Bone Ride in July of 2004. There were about 40 people and by the end of the night I was like, 'this is it.' I had found how bike riding worked for me in Los Angeles.

Ma Bell: So I moved from Boston, and hanging out at the Eco Village, it was like that Blind Melon video (editor's note: that would be No Rain for the curious) where the girl is dressed like a bee and finds the other Bee People. That was me when I found the Bike Kitchen People.

Kelly Green: You even had a bee bike.

MM F: And a Bee Haircut

Ma Bell: So, by happenstance I was working at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and one of my colleagues there invited me to a show at the Knitting Factory. Myself and a friend of mine road our bikes to the Knitting Factory. I can't remember what the show was, but afterwards my friend, Kim (editor's note, aka Skull) said, "tomorrow night me and some friends are going for a bike ride, do you want to come with us?" I was like, "I'm there, what time and where?"

So, she gave me her phone number, and her address and told me to meet her at her apartment on Echo Park Boulevard across the street from Magic Gas at nine o'clock and we were going to go on a bike ride. So I come and there were two or three other people on bikes, two more on skateboards. Roadblock was on a skateboard. I know him as "Too Tall Jamal," I always call him "Too Tall."

Anyway, we jus t have a magical night. This was before the Downtown rejuvenation, and the streets were dead. You could hear a pin drop. There were no cars. There was no law enforcement. There was nothing. Closed doors and closed gates. The city was our adult playground. We could go up and down things and over things. Climb on things…and that was in the winter of 2003.

MM F: Actually if it was winter, it was probably 2004.

Kelly Green: The anniversary rides are in February, so February 2004.

Ma Bell: I didn't know the Downtown then, or really Echo Park, so I felt like I was lost in Wonderland. , You know Kim Jensen was the brains of this. It was modeled after the Bike Club in another city and the idea of riding at midnight came from rides she did while traveling in Cambodia.

A lot of people like to credit me and Kim for getting this started and keeping it going, but there were a lot of people who spent a lot of time and effort to keep it going. It was a real collaboration. A lot of people don't get fair credit for their contributions.

Kelly Green: One of my favorite early magical bike rides was when a bunch of people rode to see VBC (Very Be Careful, an old favorite LA cumbia band of the cooks at the Bicycle Kitchen) in Manchester. So we had this midnight trip to a disco club and late-night picnic on the sidewalk of the cop shop and when we rolled up on our bicycles the door people were like, 'what the hell?.' But we just walked in and danced our asses off.

MM F: As for Ridazz, my first ride was the Bone Ride. I guess by the time I came along it was on its sixth month or so. We were still meeting at Magic Gas. By now there was a clear protocol already in place and a lot of the people that get mentioned such as Joshua and Orlando they were already part of the picture when people thought of the rides. They would take up the rear and keep everyone moving and make sure people are ok or be up front and set the pace. At that ride I was one of the assholes that showed up with a bike that really wasn't working properly. I think it was Joshua who actually helped me a couple of times that night.

In her civilian identity, MM F has a long history of bike advocacy as shown by this profile in the Times.

Ma Bell: How romantic

(laughter)

MM F: There were a lot of people who would just automatically take care of the different aspects of the ride and help people out. No Rider Left Behind was already a slogan by the time I arrived -- The ethic of occasionally stopping and making sure everyone was with us or making sure someone stayed back who knew the root so they could eventually catch up.

In the beginning it was a real community. How many scenes can someone get involved with where they develop life-long friends? This was my first.

Ma Bell: You found your Bee People.

MM F: Yes. And we see this with so many people in so many ways. We've had romances come out of this, I met some of my best friends: Jen Hofer, and these two ladies here.

Jen, along with Kim Jensen, co-founded a group called the WhirlyGirls,(also known as the Los Angeles Ladies' Bicycling Association) which was partly a reaction to the very masculine energy that was already starting to run through Ridazz.

Re-Introducing, the WhirlyGirls.  There's a couple of familar faces here.

We can sing it for you if you'd like.

Ma Bell: Uhm

MM F: <laughter>

Streetsblog: That's ok. When I get a digital recorder back, we'll meet again and we'll do a whole story just about the song.

Ma Bell: There are two other things. One of the really cool things about the early rides was that they were at night. It added a key element of excitement because we were out and doing something that nobody else was doing in Los Angeles. Especially Downtown Los Angeles. It added a level of mischievousness and excitement to our trips to Downtown L.A.

I also wanted to add especially in conjunction with the Bike Kitchen we were getting a lot of people to do biking. I could walk around Echo Park and Silver Lake and never see anybody on a bicycle! It wasn't a lifestyle yet. There was this unique synergy of the Ridazz and the Bike Kitchen that really changed the face of all things bike. People were riding bicycles.

Now, if you look at the Midnight Ridazz website you see a ride everyday.

Streetsblog: Heck, you see a ride in the San Fernando Valley everyday, city-wide you see a lot of rides everyday. And, rides to other rides.

Ma Bell: That didn't exist before Midnight Ridazz.

MM F: Midnight Ridazz was seen as fun and sexy and that got things started for a lot of people. Then you had the Bicycle Kitchen making it more viable for people to have their own bike, and know how to work on it. That's a lot of what started the bike boom in 2004. I was doing some biking before, but now I was part of something.

There might be days when something would be getting me down, and I didn't feel like riding; but I'd keep doing it because I felt like I was part of this movement.

Kelly: And don't forget, Bike Summer of 2005.

<everyone says some sort of agreement at once>

Ma Bell: And another thing, the founding of Ridazz was very queer. The original Ridazz and rides were just…queer. In every meaning of the word.

Skull's Skull. Via Midnight Ridazz

MM F: Well only a couple people had access to laminating machines.

Streetsblog: I actually here from a couple people that the biggest mistake they made in Los Angeles was letting people know they had a laminating machine.

Kelly: Going back, awhile back I was at Forever 21, that crappy store, in the men's section there was a t-shirt that said, "Midnight Riders, Los Angeles Chapter" that had a picture of a bicycle on it.

<mixed reactions of bemusement and disgust>

Streetsblog: Well, I guess that's the price of success. You guys didn't have a copyright lawyer on staff? So what were some of the favorite rides?

Kelly: The Stairmaster Ride. We had about 80-100 people at that one.

MM F: I like the Heavy Metal Ride. It was amazing to me how many people already had the clothes and outfits to do it. Everyone's a metal fan inside.

Kelly: At the end of the ride didn't Too Tall's band play?

MaBell: Yeah, his AC/DC cover band.

Streetsblog: Uhm, Roadblock had an AC/DC cover band?

Kelly: Yes!

MM F: You missed out on that one.

Streetsblog: I totally should have talked to you before having dinner with him last night.

Ma Bell (gesturing at Kelly's Tron Ride t-shirt): The Tron Ride

Streetsblog: How did you do that, did everyone wear cardboard with blue lights?

Ma Bell: No, we got a bunch of those fluorescent bendy lights and handed them out to people in groups based on the speed people wanted to go. Each group had its own route as we criss-crossed the city.

Streetsblog: That sounds amazing.

Ma Bell: The concept was amazing, but the execution was a little off.

Kelly: I didn't like that one, even though I'm wearing the t-shirt because (Kelly proceeds to tell a story about a young woman who she took care of after breaking her nose that I'm omitting as to not embarrass the woman if she happens to be reading this).

Streetsblog: So, I don't see you out there on these rides anymore, when were your last rides.

MM F: My last Midnight Ridazz ride was the Pirate Ride in 2007. There were 1,400 people, and it was just too many. I still do a lot of social rides with my friends. A small group biked down to Manhattan Beach on the 4^th, and it was one of the best rides I had done in a long time.

Kelly: Mine was actually more recent. As part of the Bike Summit I organized with Joe Linton the Root Down Ride Around which visited a lot of the old sites from the early days. I invited Joe to design the flyer/spoke card illustration and help me come up with the root.

Ma Bell: The whole thing had just gotten to be too much. Ridazz was becoming my monthly anxiety attack, the police would call me at home….

MM F: Yeah, with such a large group, it was impossible to keep everything together. I heard a story about one guy who bragged to a motorist that he was "1,200 deep" (she does some gangsta style motion with her arms) like that made him invulnerable. We also had more confrontations with the cops and even people pulling knives and guns on the rides.

People don't know this, but we almost killed Midnight Ridazz…instead a group of the core got together and eventually we turned it over to Too Tall. The thought of killing it made too many people too sad.

Ma Bell cooks at the Kitchen.

MM F: The same with the Bike Kitchen.

Ma Bell: I just got off the Board of that a couple months ago. I still volunteer sometime.

Streetsblog: Hey, I think you helped me build my bike! (Upon a review of my pictures and an old Street Heat story, it was Mike Hammer who helped me build my bike. Ma Bell gave my Mom's bike its first tune-up in nearly a decade.)

Ma Bell: I thought you looked familiar…But, the point is we haven't stepped away from the cause. I'm as devoted now as I ever was.

Back on the bike: Tena after the "Bike Not to Work Day" ride last week.

But whatever happened the cyclist who was thrown from his bike when the H3 ran into him?  What is his take on the controversy and what does he have to say to those people who say it was his fault?

I’ve had the chance to twice ride with Andres Tena since he was assaulted and had a chance to sit down with him to talk about the crash.  The smiling, good-natured Tena provides a contrast to the anarchist vandals that were described by the LAPD spokesperson last week at the City Council.

The full text of my chat with Tena is available after the jump.

Streetsblog: A couple of weeks ago you were involved in a crash with an Hummer H3 and didn’t get the support and protection you would expect from the Los Angeles Police Department.  Can you tell us, in your own words, what exactly happened?

Tena: It was a Thursday night/Friday morning, there was a group of us riding home.  We were promoting a friend’s bike shop downtown called the Bow and Sparrow.  We were going down Los Angeles Street about to make a right on Seventh Street to go to Tacos Mexico.  It was pretty late, but there was a good amount of us.  We were pretty noticeable.

It happened so quick...it happened so fast that I don’t really know everything that happened.  I was riding, and I felt contact.  It was a black hummer.  H1, H2, H3, it doesn’t really matter.  They’re all about 8,000 pounds.  I feel contact.

I’m in the air for about two or three seconds.  The car hit me from behind and on my left side, and I’m in the air and I feel the side of the car as it whizzes by me.  I see the wheel like two or three inches away from my head.  It was kind of scary.

I hit the floor.  My bike drops.  I’m freaking out, I mean what just happened?  I try to get up, but I hit the floor again.  I realize that I can’t feel my foot.  I can’t feel my left ankle.  Pretty much from my ankle down, I can’t feel anything.

That’s pretty much it.  My friend Tom picks me up and asks if I’m allright.  I’m repeating, “I’m allright, but I can’t feel my foot.  I can’t feel my foot.  It might be broken…”

I had a couple scrapes here and there, bruises on my knees and elbows.

The funny thing is, at the time I didn’t know that the driver tried to get away because all I remember was sitting and waiting on the curb for the ambulance to get there.  I heard a sound of metal scraping on pavement, and then all of a sudden the cops showed up and the ambulance showed up.

I know the rest of the story from other people.  Three other bikes were run over while the Hummer was getting away.

And that’s it!  There have been different stories from different people.  But here’s what you need to know.  I was hit.  Three other bikes were totaled.  Now, we’re just waiting to see what happens.

Streetsblog: Just to be clear, how visible were you?   Do you have a rear light?  Was it working?  Were you wearing dark clothes?

Tena:  I have a rear light, a front light and I was wearing bright clothing.  They’re always on.  And I always wear light clothes when I’m biking;.

Streetsblog: How long have you biked in the city?  You know what you’re doing?

Tena: It’s been close to two years of city riding.  I’m not new to this.  I try to stay right ride consistently.  You never expect to get hit from behind by a car, but I was hit by a hummer.  It’s something I can make fun of…I wasn’t hit by a car…I was hit by the biggest vehicle you can.

Streetsblog: You weren’t drunk, were you?

Tena: (Laughing)  No, none of us were drunk.

Streetsblog: So everyone got home safely from there, except for you who went to the hospital until later in the afternoon.  Was that the last you heard about things until we went to the Police Commission?

Tena:   Actually, Officer Cho called me the next day to tell me it wasn’t a crime that the hummer hit me.  But that it was an "accident."  It was because of all the bike riders.  It was a pretty biased opinion.

Streetsblog: Because you were on the road in a group you got hit.  How many of you were there?

Tena:  About a dozen.  It was really strange the way he was saying it.  Really biased.  He was saying it was all our fault.  I could feel that he wanted to say it was because we’re always drunk.  It’s because we’re like a mob activity. 

Streetsblog: One of the weird things about this crash is, you almost never hear of a bike getting hit by behind.  It’s a lot less common than a “right hook,” because you’re right in front of them…to rear-end a cyclist that’s lit up is either negligent or aggressive.  It’s not like he couldn’t see you.

Tena: Well, to Officer Cho, it was an accident.

Streetsblog: Obviously nothing was broken in your foot, because this is the second time I’ve seen you since then and you’re on your bike.

Tena: It’s amazing really.  I’m fine, I’m fine.  The only limp I have is from a left ankle sprain, a contusion, and some bruising on the left side of my hip that turned out to be hematoma.  Now I’m getting some chiropractic work done and I exercise.

Streetsblog:  There’s been more controversy about the police’s reaction and reporting of the crash than just the crash itself.  Yesterday down at City Hall, they described the cyclists in the incident, including you hit from behind wearing brightly lit clothing on a brightly lit bike, as at fault for being struck from behind by a Hummer.  So, how’s that make you feel…

Tena: …I just found out the story today.  It sounds like they labeled me as a vandal.  They pretty much say that I ran it to it.  On purpose.  On a bike, I decided to run into a hummer.

Let’s be clear.  I didn’t, just a little sarcasm here.

Streetsblog: A vandal.  For getting hit in the street.  Say, if I leave a marker here and turn my back, are you going to tag my bike?

Tena: (laughing) No, that’s not. No.

Streetsblog:  I’m just kidding here…Again, I haven’t seen the video yet, but it sounds sort of shocking in its content.

Tena:  Yeah, blaming me for it.

Streetsblog: It hasn’t stopped you from biking.  You’re back on the streets.

Tena: Back on the streets, riding safer than ever.

Streetsblog: And you were back quickly.  I saw you for the first time less than a week later, you biked to and testified at the Police Commission hearing.  Is that your first advocacy ride?

Tena: It was my first day back in the street.  It wasn’t paranoia, but I was watching cars as they went past.  I was definitely traumatized, but I can ride a bike, I will ride a bike and stay on the street.

Streetsblog: Was it easier to do that ride because you were surrounded by the group of friends?

Tena: Actually, I didn’t do the group ride.  I went to public comment and it was 10-15 minutes away.  I live in Highland Park, not that far away, but biking on Figueroa and Broadway was kind of nerve racking.  I felt and heard cars as they rid by.  I was definitely going at a slow pace.

Tena, with Chicken Leather looking on, testifies at the LAPD Police Commission Hearing for May 2009.

Streetsblog: What was more nerve racking?  The bike ride to the LAPD, or testifying at a Police Commission hearing for the first time?

Tena: It was testifying at the Police commission.  It’s very scary, very nerve wracking,  to get up there and do that.  I was very nervous, my voice was cracking a little…a little squeaky.

Streetsblog: Your testimony was very good.  I wrote at the time that you could tell that you weren’t a professional activist, not as polished as the LACBC or Stephen or the bike lawyer, but your experience and testimony was very powerful and lent heart to what everyone else was saying.

What’s the take home message from this incident for people out there? 

Tena: I just never thought it would happen to me.  You see things on the news, Ghost Bikes and things like that…but you don’t think it’s going to happen to you.

A friend of mine actually just got hit too.  He just had a couple of scrapes and his bottom bracket was broken.  He was going down seventh, and the guy that hit him drove off.  It was just yesterday.  This stuff happens everyday, and now I guess I’m a part of it.

Streetblog:  You going to stay involved as an advocate now, beyond seeing your case through to the end?

Tena: Yeah, sure absolutely.  I want the outcome to be positive.  I’m not the type to get all riled up and make a big deal.  I just want it to be safe for everyone else.  I’m building a bike for my little brother, and I want it to be safe for him.

“Ride safe.”  That’s what I say to everyone now when they’re going somewhere, biking, driving, flying, “ride safe.”

Streetsblog: I say the same thing to people unless its Stephen or Alex.  Than it’s “try not to get arrested.” (we both laugh)

My standard last question to everyone I interview is that if you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about transportation in Los Angeles, what would it be?

Tena:  Smaller cars.  Smart cars.  Everyone should drive a smart car.

Streetsblog: Not everybody ride a bike?

Tena: Well, that too.

Streetsblog: Of course you want smaller cars, you're the guy that was HIT BY A HUMMER!

Tena: Ok, let's say smaller cars and more bikes.

Late Monday night, "Roadblock" one of the most prominent of the Midnight Ridazz, was rear-ended and left in the street during a hit-and-run assault on Glendale Blvd.  As he wrote on Midnight Ridazz:

Was heading N. On glendale blvd. Was in far right lane preparing for a
change to left lane to make left at park. I looked back and saw a car
approaching at extremely high speed. I aborted my lane transfer and the
car swerved into my lane and rear ended me at about 45mph. I flew up
onto hood and probably dented hood and windshield. Drive applied breaks
and I flew off into the street in the right lane. My read wheel is
taco-ed and rear of bike smashed.

I had a helmet on. I was solo. Rear light on. Reflectors on shoes and headlight on flash minewt night rider.

Anyone that witnessed the crash or has other information is urged to contact him at the information above.  The dark colored sedan should have dents on its hood and windshield and the license plate is close to 6GYC11.

Because Don has become something of a well-known face at City Hall in recent months, his crash could help highlight the unsafe streets that many cyclists face.  Hopefully this crash can lead to better street protections for all of us.  This trend of hitting cyclists and fleeing the scene needs to be addressed, and addressed soon.

Both C.I.C.L.E. and the Midnight Ridazz held and completed their respective charity toy rides this weekend.  On the Ridazz front, a few stolen bikes couldn’t stamp out the festivities as literally hundreds of toys were delivered to the Alliance for Children’s Rights to be distributed.  On C.I.C.L.E.’s front, bad weather before the ride may have held down attendance, but the fifty riders that rode through Pasadena did so with high cheer.  Hundreds more toys were gathered for Hathaway-Sycamores Family Services.

If you missed the ride this weekend for any reason, and you’re looking to both advance alternative transportation and promote local charity; allow me to suggest Transit People.  Entering its tenth year, Transit People has taken over 23,000 students on different field trips around the city.  The all-volunteer organization doesn’t just take deserving children to great L.A. places such as The Natural History Museum or the Long Beach Aquarium, but by using transit encourages young people to explore a transit oriented lifestyle.  Like every non-profit Transit People is going to need some extra help over the next couple of years.  If this sounds like a group you want to be part of, you can donate online here.

Photo: Ingrid Peterson and Damien Newton

The concept is pretty simple.  A group of cyclists create and set up booths and other amenities around an already bike-friendly area to create a Bike Town.  Organized by Alec Schwarz, one of the famed Midnight Ridazz, the event is simply described as thus:

We will be transforming several square blocks into a mini bike town. Simply ride your bike around the area meandering up and down every street. Make stops to patronize businesses, enjoy parks, and chat with other riders. It will be like a Midnight Ridazz stop on every corner.

But here's the thing.  The event has created a huge level of excitement on the Internet from people thirsting for a more bike friendly city.  Over 100 people have RSVP'd their attendance on the Facebook site for the ride and two group rides have been organized to the event.  One will start from the "Hel-Mel" bike district at 4:15 P.M. and the other will leave Winward Circle in Venice at 5 P.M.  For more information about this, or other Midnight Ridazz events, check out their website.  Upcoming events can be found in the bar on the far right of the screen.

This is the first event of it's kind that's been organized in recent memory.  Usually Ridazz events have a much smaller attendance than what is expected this Saturday at Bike Town Beta, and it will be interesting to see how the event handles the large crowd that is expected.

Best of luck to everyone this weekend, and check back next week for some photos that show that every weekend is a bike weekend in Los Angeles.

Photo: Alec Schwarz/Midnight Ridazz